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Review: The Girl Next Door (Bend or Break #3) by Amy Jo Cousins

****4 Stars****

I love this series and I have to say I was, as I suspect many will be, that in the middle of a M/M series we had a M/F story but let me just say if you have any doubts then trust in Amy Jo as she does not disappoint in surprising us with the curve this story takes, Steph is Bi so don’t get caught up on the M/M title of the genre and accept this story as being relevant as a LGBT story.

I loved Cash in Off Campus and was glad to get his story and see how the big lovable jock was faring after college and I was pleasantly surprised to find he had rejected the silver spoon lifestyle he was born into in favour of making his own way in life and working with children from a disadvantaged background as a soccer coach in Chicago. I was sad to find him unhappy in himself and pining for Steph who we just now find out was a friend with benefits during college who dumped him for her new girlfriend. I knew there had to be something going on between them two.

When his young cousin turns up at his apartment seeking help from Cash as his parents didn’t believe his coming out, Cash turns to his friends Tom & Reese for help with the youngster and finds out Steph is also living in Chicago. Steph is more than happy to help and Cash soon realises his feelings for her haven’t changed and pretty soon they slip back into their old agreement. It was lovely to see the gang back together and see how their friendships had developed and grown with them as young adults.

Cash & Steph are a lot of hot and I honestly would have loved more of the details of the things Steph had introduced Cash to during their time together, she definitely ruined Cash for ever finding another woman that’s for sure. So we learn that Cash is very open minded in the bedroom and soon these two are opening up about fantasies together but will they take the step to making them reality? I found the emotional denial in their relationship really frustrating and wanted to bang their heads together at times and give Steph a good shake to make her realise what she had in Cash but I’m glad they seem to manage to work it out on their own eventually.

The only downside I found in this book was I thought it was a little slow to start and at times felt the inner monologues from Cash regarding the school funding were a little too soap box for the story, thought I appreciate they were showing how Cash had developed as a person just a little too much for me. I really hope there is more to come in this series as it is definitely one of my favourites.

Blurb

When it comes to love, go big or go home.

Charles “Cash” Carmichael traded his high-rise condo and family-firm career for a job coaching soccer for Chicago’s inner-city kids. He’s adjusting to living on minimum wage when his young cousin, newly out and running away from home, shows up on his less-than-luxurious doorstep.

Angsty teens definitely aren’t Cash’s thing. He needs local backup, and there’s only one name he can think of: Stephany Tyler. Back in the day, the bisexual Steph was the perfect friend with benefits until she fell in love with a woman.

To his relief, his former friend steps up to the plate. Soon, though, Cash finds himself feeling the familiar need to keep her in his bed, and in his life. But Steph, burned by the ex-girlfriend and by the absentee dad she’s been trying to connect with, won’t risk her heart again.

Good thing Cash believes in leaving it all on the field. If he can just convince Steph to get in the game, there’s a chance they can both win.

Warning: This book contains ex-friends with benefits crossing boundaries a second time, several steamy encounters on staircases, copious discussions about gay sex from a “straight” guy, a shout-out to magic buttons, and an especially memorable going away threesome.

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Review: The Diary of Bink Cummings: Vol 3 (MC Chronicles #3) by Bink Cummings

*****5 Stars*****

As this is Vol.3 in the MC Chronicles series, I must start by saying that you have to read Vol.1&2 first.

This book has taken me on an emotional journey. I found myself, at only 14%, sat amongst a bunch of strangers, weeping. Yup, it was embarrassing but couldn't be helped....and it's made me cry on more than one occasion.

Bink sucks you in and I couldn't help but become emotionally invested in her story. This was the case for the first to books but even more so for this third book.

It's so beautifully penned and emotionally charged that you can't help but get sucked into the story...feeling every wound, every concern, every jealousy, every betrayal.

Demons arise and guilt consumes, leaving relationships hanging in the balance.

I can't say much more without either spoiling the first two books or giving away what happens in this one but what I will say is that it's a must read! Seriously, you won't regret it..."Ya got me?"

5 bad-ass biker stars!

Blurb

Must read: The Diary of Bink Cummings Vol 1 & 2 previously.

Tests, life is full of them. The world is constantly putting you through them to see how much you can take before you break. Before you are no longer who you are. Before your world dissolves around you. How long you can stay strong and overcome the obstacles.
It's no secret that Big and I butt heads. It's no secret that I not only dislike my mother, I hate her because she hates me. But can these people break me? Can they push me to the edge of insanity, ready to jump?
Having stayed and moved in with Big, I was living the life I never even knew I wanted. Every day was filled with promise, warmth and unconditional love. Until the day, it wasn't. Until the day it all changed and I quickly learned what I'm made of, thanks to the truths behind many years of painful secrets.
It only took a single day for my world to never be the same. One day to change me forever. One day for revelations. One day I'll never forget......

Steamy Adult romance
Warning: Contains Mature scenarios, and mass quantities of profanity. For Ages 18+

-This is not a Stand alone.

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Review: Arrow's Hell (Wind Dragons MC #2) by Chantal Fernando

****4 Stars****

Loving this series and have to say you really do need to read the first book to fully appreciate Arrow’s Hell as there are a lot of references to past events that the author has brought into the story. It was great to see a few of the characters from book one and see how they were faring. As such there may be spoilers in my review if you haven’t read Dragon’s Lair.

We catch up with Arrow in the prologue and find him still reeling from the death of Mary five years on, he is living a lonely existence that he has enforced on himself through his guilt at her death. My heart hurt for Arrow, not that he’d appreciate that much, but it was hard to see him punishing himself for events he had no control over. Arrow is completely different in his character from the rough but lovable guy we met in Dragons lair and is now quite harsh and cold.

Anna is the little sister of Rake a member of the MC who has recently returned to town after finishing college and wants to reunite with her brother but he wants her to accept him as a member of the club so she is pulled into the thick of the club and accepted as one of their own. Anna is a great character she is strong, feisty and very independent following her rough upbringing and as such she is determined to make her own way in life.

There is an instant attraction between Arrow and Anna but Arrow is having none of it and so pushes Anna away using a multitude of reasons but her being Rake’s sister is the main one. Anna is hurt by Arrows rejections but can’t seem to help the unrequited love she is feeling for the grumpy biker. Soon though Anna is caught up in events that make Arrow realise his feelings for her but is he willing to risk crossing Rake first to take a chance at happiness?

I am really looking forward to the next one in this series and can’t wait to read Tracker’s story.

Blurb

Being the younger sister of a Wind Dragons MC member isn’t as great as you’d think it would be.

I can’t escape the details of my brother’s exploits.
No one tells me anything.
Men who know who I am tend to stay away from me.

And worst of all:
The members of the MC are off-limits.

When Arrow catches my eye, I make it my mission to make him happy again.

When I fall head over heels in love with him, I just hope he will be there to catch me.
And that my brother doesn’t kill him.

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Review: Chasing the Dragon (Deception Duet #1) by T.K. Leigh

****4 Stars****

Oh what has TK Leigh done to me, I have been anxiously awaiting Tyler’s story after having little peeks of him in The Beautiful Mess series and already being a little enamoured to him and T made me not like him very much. Why you may ask? I just hate what he is doing to Mackenzie. Every time she mentions why she is so closed off and craves control, my heart broke a little more for her dreading the inevitable revelation of what Tyler is about.

Poor Mackenzie has been through a lot in life from the moment we met her in the prologue as a young girl to the present day as an adult, life has been unfair. And it all seems to come back to her father, which is why Tyler is in her life, working for the Burnham Company his assignment is to find Mackenzie’s father and to do so he has to hoodwink her into a relationship in the hope of pillow talk revealing her knowledge of her father. Just as Tyler enters her life other events begin to occur which push Mackenzie into trusting Tyler more than she probably usually would.

Tyler however does seem to have got himself in a bit of a stuck by falling for the mark much to his brothers annoyance but I just can’t allow myself to fully accept his feeling for Mackenzie under the circumstances.

Tyler, sigh, Tyler Tyler Tyler, I really hope you get to redeem yourself in the second book, along with Alex as Mr B is also in my bad books at the moment too for his behaviour towards Tyler and Mackenzie. I hope it won’t be too long as T has left us hanging on a huge cliff here.

Blurb

He’s trying to protect his heart…
She’s a shell of the girl she once was…
Can he chase away the demons threatening to destroy her?

Mackenzie Delano craves control. After tragedy strikes during her freshman year of college, she compensates for the helplessness she felt by micro-managing every aspect of her life, from her business life to her social life…to her love life. But she wasn’t expecting to cross paths with a mysterious man who seems to invade her every thought.

Tyler Burnham has been living his life with one rule in mind…never fall in love. Focusing solely on his career, he is able to remain a detached observer of life… Until a case is dropped in his lap, forcing him to form an intimate relationship with a sharp-tongued woman in order to obtain the location of a man deemed an enemy of the State.

When Tyler finds himself falling for Mackenzie, will he be able push his feelings aside and recover the information he needs? Or will he put the mission and their lives at risk to follow his heart?

Chasing The Dragon is the first installment of a two part series of deception and betrayal where nothing is as it seems.

***Note - Chasing The Dragon is the first book in a two-book duet and is a spin-off of T.K. Leigh's USA Today Best Selling Beautiful Mess series. It is not necessary to have read that series in order to read this duet, but it will contain a mild spoiler from the third book in the Beautiful Mess series, Gorgeous Chaos.***

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Review: Conviction (Devine #2) by D.H. Sidebottom

*****5 Stars*****

OMG! Never has a book had my heart stopping so often!
You know, that feeling you get when something happens and you're not sure if your heart is actually still beating, whether you're actually able to draw another breath or if you're even able to continue reading.
When you so desperately want to know what happens next but you're terrified of what that might be, what it might entail and who you might lose.

This book had me feeling this way all the way through...repeatedly....and at times I wasn't sure I could take much more but I also had an OCD need to keep going.

As always, D H Sidebottom's writing style is evocative and so emotionally draining - but in the best possible way! It's descriptive but not unnecessarily so but mostly it just calls to me.

This is technically the third book in the series if you count the novella (Loyalty, book #1.5) which follows book #1, Surrender and they must be read in order. I haven't said anything about the story in this book because it wouldn't be possible to without spoiling the previous books.

I started this series by going in completely blind and I haven't read any of the teasers and that's the way I think D H Sidebottom's book are meant to be devoured...in my opinion at least.

Another absolutely thrilling masterpiece! 5 devastating stars!

Blurb

‘The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.’ - Alan Watts

Our choices can change. Our lives can change. Our views can change. But can our hearts ever change what they feel?
No matter how hard we try to choose the right way forward, our destinies are planned out from very early on, our lives mapped out the way fate deems fit for us. Our beliefs will always be varied but we all remain headstrong and wilful in our selfish views… that is until what you thought was fact proves to be fiction and what was unquestionable now blurs the lines of reason.
Or hope becomes misery and love becomes hate.

In the conclusion to Jake and Isla’s story, the road to hell seems to be the easiest route available when truths turn into lies and loyalty turns to betrayal. But is their love stronger than the hatred inside them? Are their souls tough enough to survive the explosion and is their passion strong enough to endure the agony?
It’s time for Jake and Isla to fight together, for one another and then finally… against each other.

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Review: Explicit Detail (Explicit #2) & Explicit Memory (Explicit #3) by Scarlett Finn

Explicit Detail (Explicit #2)

*****5 Stars*****

I loved the first book in this series, but somehow this one is even better. As you have probably figured out by now, this is book 2 in the Explicit series, and you simply must read book 1 before tackling this one. Otherwise you will be totally lost.

Rushe is a man you don't want to mess around with. He would not hesitate to take you out if he felt he needed to. But Rushe has found, almost in spite of himself, that he has a softer side. This dormant side has been awaken in him by Flick, a young woman he basically rescued from rape and murder in the first book.

This second book picks up shortly after the first one ends. As usual, Scarlett Finn has woven a compelling story, with excitement galore, as well as plenty of hot sexy fun.

I don't want to give anything away, but suffice it to say you won't be bored. Flick is coming into her own. In the first book she was primarily a victim, but in this second book she is starting to show her strength, probably mostly due to Rushe's strength rubbing off on her. Flick is no longer a victim. The two of them strengthen each other, making the pair stronger than either could ever be alone. Rushe is finally starting to understand that.

There is a final book in this series, Explicit Memory, and I'm jumping right on it. I would encourage you to begin the walk down this Explicit path. I promise you won't regret it.

Blurb

‘I make my own rules.’

Integrating Flick into his life has given Rushe a new priority, to keep his woman where he wants her – safe and in his bed. But saving women who have no hope is a part of who he is, and it doesn’t take long for the next job to seek them out.
Rushe knows the rules, but Flick has never played the game from this side of the table before. Working in parallel, our couple go undercover to expose the crucial details of an intrigue that sinks deeper than they could have predicted.
Ready to get her hands dirty, Flick wades in, relishing the challenge. Except danger closes in on her from all sides, and Rushe has his own cards to play. They have to learn to work together before the job drives them apart.
But if their union is revealed, it could cost them their lives.

Warning: Contains explicit language and imagery.

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Explicit Memory (Explicit #3)

*****5 Stars*****

After everything Rushe and Flick have been through, kidnapping, human trafficking, rape, murder, etc., can they really have a happy ever after ending? Well, this is the final book in the Explicit series, so if it's going to happen, it's going to happen in this book.

However, we've got a lot of trail to cover before we can even think about a happy ever after. Some authors are great at writing sexy love scenes, and Scarlett can definitely do that, but what some authors struggle with is creating a strong storyline to go with those love scenes. Scarlett seems to be able to do that with ease.

It should go without saying that you have to read the first two books in this series first, Explicit Instruction and Explicit Detail. I promise you won't regret it. This is one of the better erotic series I've ever read.

This final book ties up a lot of loose ends, loose ends in Rushe's past, but also loose ends in Flick's past. I honestly don't see how the series could have had a better final send off than Explicit Memory.

Rushe will always be the domineering dirty talking bad boy, and Flick will always love him for it. But they move beyond those stereotypes in this book. Both characters are fleshed out, and grow much more than most characters ever do in erotic romance books.

Give this series a try. I promise you will fall in love with Rushe and Flick the same way I have. You can thank me later.

Blurb

‘There’s no place for that here.’

The past that they’d hoped to outrun has chased them down, and now it wants payback.
To appease their debtors, they must delve into Rushe’s own history. As they come face to face with the situation that brought them together in the first place, Flick learns more about the man who she’s pledged her heart, and her body, to.
When danger encroaches, Flick will resort to whatever measures are necessary to achieve their goal, but could that mean sacrificing their relationship?

Warning: Contains explicit language and imagery.

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https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22021426-love-is-louder

Friday 15 May 2015

Book Tour: Love is Louder by Antoinette Candela

Title: Love is Louder

Author: Antoinette Candela

Book Tour: May 4 – May 15

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Hosted by: SBB Promotions

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SYNOPSIS:

When does love fall apart? Do you see it? Do you feel it? Can you save it? When two worlds collide it sets off an unlikely chain of events, creating temptations and feelings that did not exist and changing the course of two random strangers. A crumbling marriage to a successful husband, A man fighting to keep his family together, Two people looking to reconcile and bury their past lives. Lives comes together that would never have been, where one secret will turn their worlds upside down. What happens when the truth is finally exposed? Will both sides end up hurt and alone? When does love reappear? Do you see it? Do you feel it? Do you fight for it? Love is beautiful. Love is quiet. Love is ugly. Love is Louder.

Review

5 Stars

I really enjoyed this book, so much that I have been telling friends they need to read it as soon as I closed the last page. This isn’t your typical love triangle book as the cover and blurb would suggest, it is complex, emotional and a story of lives entwined in a much deeper way than you can imagine. Much deeper than the characters seem to know and their lives all seem to come back to their feelings towards a dead woman.

I loved Mason; he is sincere, honest, upright and doing his best to hold his family together in the face of tragedy since losing his sister to an apparent hit & run accident. A sister he loved deeply. His love for his sister and his family is both heartbreaking and lovely but it does seem to be holding Mason back from getting on with his own life. When old faces suddenly start to appear back in town, Mason has to fight harder to keep his family together. I also loved that we meet Mason as the washing machine repair guy rather than some high flying millionaire, a real refreshing change.

Brie and James on the face of it seem to have a perfect life and Brie idolises her husband but it does seem to be in an unhealthy way. She seems all put together in running her own business yet seems to be needy towards her Husband, the reasons why soon slowly starts to become apparent and you realise there is something unspoken about in their relationship. Though I did like Brie when she wasn’t in James presence she could be quite spunky when she had to be. James is a complex character that I hated initially for the way he was behaving towards his wife but in a way I felt sorry for him as he seemed to be carrying a few burdens.

It soon becomes clear that there is history between Mason and James and not of the good kind. There is an instant attraction between Brie and Mason that burns through this story but the complexity of their friendship seems to be heading towards something far more as Brie’s life suddenly starts to unravel and secrets are discovered. This is a great start to this series and I think the author has done a brilliant job in weaving a story that leaves a list of questions in its wake and keeps you guessing and wanting the next book already and as such I am really looking forward to it.

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Amazon UK http://tinyurl.com/nox3jhw

About The Author:

Antoinette Candela is most likely listening to music at a very high volume right now and pondering her next book. She grew up in Upstate New York and is an avid New York Yankees and Dallas Cowboys fan. As a child, she enjoyed reading and writing and penned her first story at the age of thirteen. She drives fast, is a neat freak, loves red wine, Scrabble and can't live without her iced coffee and a good pen. Currently she lives in Massachusetts with her son and daughter in her neat and tidy home. When she's not planted in front of her computer writing, she can be found at the gym or at the beach soaking up the rays and enjoying a good book.

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Review: Obligation (Underground Kings #2) by Aurora Rose Reynolds

*****5 Stars*****

This is book two in the Underground Kings series and this is Kai's story. You might remember Kai from book one, Assumption. He is a contact of Kenton's that helps him whilst he's in Vegas to find the hitman....
I think I preferred Kai to Kenton. (Shock, horror! I know, how dare I say that about a Mayson! But if you read this then you may well agree with me!) Whilst reading this book, all I could picture when thinking about Kai was Jason Momoa (now you're understanding the preference to Kai), the way he is described as really tall and massively built, all tan and muscly. Yep, I didn't have any problem loving this character from the beginning.
I loved the story too, it was a brilliant one. Kai and Myla get married, not for love - it is a very spur of the moment decision - but to protect Myla. She doesn't quite know why she needs to marry Kai to be protected but she does know that she trusts him, after he saved her from a group of guys and from her bakery going up in flames. Kai has his own reasons to go through with the marriage but he is keeping those close to his chest.
This story is an intriguing one involving crime families, murder, deceit and for Myla, unearthing secrets from her childhood. This story is definitely gripping, I read it in one sitting.
I can't wait for more from Aurora Rose Reynolds, I love her alpha males! I'm looking forward to Sven's story next!

Blurb

[ob-li-gey-shuh n]
An obligation is a course of action that someone is required to take, whether legal or moral.

At six years old, Myla was sent to a family her father and mother had chosen for her when they knew their time on earth was almost up. What they were unaware of was what they thought would be her safe haven would become her living hell.

Kai has been watching Myla from afar since he took over the family business from his father and inherited the responsibility of keeping her safe. When word gets back to Kai that Myla is not only in danger, but that his assets are being compromised, he immediately jumps into action and does the only thing that can be done at the time by marrying her.

Neither Myla nor Kai would have thought that something that started off as a farce would become the most important thing either of them could've ever done.

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Review: Assumption (Underground Kings #1) by Aurora Rose Reynolds

*****5 Stars*****

Aurora Rose Reynolds does it again! With her tried and tested formula of seriously hot, bossy alpha males, likeable heroines, a dash of humour and a dose of drama, she's given us another un-put-downable book. I don't know what it is about this woman's books but every time I start one I'm hooked from the beginning and literally cannot put them down until the end....
Assumption is Kenton's story who we know from the Until series as being the cousin of Asher, Trevor, Cash and Nico. We saw a bit more from him in Until Nico as Nico went to work with him. If you've read the Until series you will have experienced the hotness of the alpha males in the Mayson family and Kenton is no different, and does not disappoint.
Autumn, a stripper from Vegas, has to go to stay with Kenton after she is witness to a multiple murder by a mafia hired hitman. Her life in danger as being the only living witness to the crime, her friend and colleague Link arranges for her to go to stay with Kenton (an old friend of his) for a while until such a time as she is no longer in danger. Now, do not make any Assumptioms about Autumn, she is not what you'd expect a Vegas stripper to be. She is a really likeable character, she is a damsel in distress but she is by no means weak. If anything she's quite feisty!
As with all of Aurora's books I absolutely adored this story, every time I finish one of her books I immediately need more! I'm going straight onto book two of the Underground Kings series to satisfy this craving for some alpha male hottness that Aurora always stirs up.

Blurb

[as·sump·tion:]
a thing that is accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proof

They say when you assume that you make an ass out of you and me.

Kenton Mayson learned this lesson firsthand when he made assumptions about Autumn Freeman and the kind of woman she is based on what little information he had. What he finds out is she’s not only beautiful, but also smart, funny, a fighter, and exactly the kind of woman he wants to share his life with.

Autumn made assumptions of her own about Kenton, and now he needs to prove her wrong in order to protect her and their future.

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Review: Slayer (Sons of Rebellion Motorcycle Club #1) by Elsa Day

****3.5 Stars****

I found it really hard to rate this book, I went back and forth between 3.5 and 4 stars for ages, and I'm still not satisfied with my final rating. To be honest I'd say it's somewhere in the middle, 3.75 stars to be pernickety. ...
The writing was good and the storyline was intriguing enough to make me want to continue with the series to find out what happens between Hunter and Nadia. Nadia is the daughter of the president of the Midnight Stalkers MC, Hunter is the Sergeant-At-Arms of a rival MC, Sons of Rebellion. Hunter has been tasked with a deadly mission, a kill list of Midnight Stalkers. The two meet at a bar, neither know who the other is but their attraction to each other is strong. Another positive about this book, the chemistry between the two main characters was off the charts!
Now the reason I couldn't quite stretch to a four star rating? It was just too damn short. I realise this is part of a serial, and I have no problem with that, I for one love a serial! But because it was so short there was almost no character development. There was also no development of the relationship between the two characters. Oh there was chemistry for miles, but no time for anything beyond that to develop. Unfortunately it is one of my pet peeves in books, insta-love, one of the characters stating that the other is "theirs" or explaining how they can't imagine their life without the other when they've only known each other a day. Call me cynical but I just can't buy into it. I'll be continuing with the series though to find out what becomes of these two and I hope with the next book, with the progression in the story and the timeline of the story, this insta-love business will no longer be an issue.

Blurb

Flames burn, no matter how they deny it.Nadia wants to be a normal everyday girl. She wants to party, she wants to be free, and she wants to fall in love. But there's one thing standing in her way; her dad is the president of the Midnight Stalkers Motorcycle Club. Nadia's ruthless biker dad won't let anyone touch his daughter.

Hunter Flint is the rugged and rough sergeant at arms of a rival MC, the Sons of Rebellion. Hunter wears his battle scars on his skin, and he's closed himself off to love. He's come to Queenstown on a deadly mission, one that could tear the Midnight Stalkers apart.

When the two meet, it ignites passion between them. Can these star-crossed lovers ever be together ... Or will their love story crash and burn?

Slayer is the first installment of the Sons of Rebellion serial, following the story of Nadia and Hunter. The series contains strong sexual themes, and is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

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Review: Wild Thing (Billionaires in Disguise: Georgie, Rock Stars in Disguise: Xan, Episode 2) by Blair Babylon

*****5 Stars*****

Blair has done it again. She has a knack for creating whole worlds for her stories and characters to reside in. Every book I've read by her seems to connect with her other books in one way or another. They all take place in the same fictional universe. And Wild Thing is no different.

This is the second book in Georgie and Xan's story. The first book is Every Breath You Take and I would strongly urge you to read that book first. There will be a third book in this series called Lay Your Hands On Me and I for one will be waiting in line to grab it up as soon as it comes out later this summer.

This is the middle book in a series, starting off shortly after the first book ended. Nothing is completely resolved by the end of the book, but along the way many secrets are revealed, hearts are broken and mended, and you will be lost in the whole process.

This book seemed to focus more on the sexy rock god Xan than on Georgie, but I was okay with that. Xan is far more than just a cookie cutter rock star in disguise. He is a complex character that certainly has his fair share of demons. Georgie, the billionaire in disguise, has a ton of secrets, including the fact that she is hiding out from the Russian Mafia.

Will the two of them find a way to get beyond their own baggage and learn to lean on each other? I won't tell you the answer to that, but I can promise you will have a blast reading about it. There is sex galore in Blair's books, but you can also always count on a compelling story and great characters to go along with it.

If Blair Babylon is not already on your automatic buy list, then you need to check out any of her books. I promise if you give her a shot, you will fall in love with her writing and want to pick up everything as soon as you can. She is just that good.

Blurb

The music calls Georgie.

Every night, she stands offstage, watching Xan Valentine set fire to the crowd with music until they would burn down the city for him. His music wraps her until her fingers dance, desperately wanting the piano, but her terrified legs could never walk onto a stage.

Most nights, when Xan Valentine strides off the stage, his dark eyes shift, blurring, and he becomes Alexandre de Valentinois again.

Sometimes, Xan won’t let go.

Some of the other band members, Rade and Grayson, are caught in a death spiral of booze, drugs, and groupies.

The drummer, Tryp, is too infatuated with his new wife to do more than show up to play.

Xan is the only one who can compel them onto the stage. He’s holding Killer Valentine together with the force of his will.

This can’t go on.

Something has to break.

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Review: Echo (Black Lotus #2) by E.K. Blair

*****5 Stars*****

Get those condoms for your hearts at the ready because as promised Echo is going to f**k with your feelings, majorly. It will mess with your head, it will take twists you won’t be expecting, it will toy with your emotions, it will shock you and it will leave wondering just what goes on in E K’s mind.

I have been in so much anticipation for this second book in The Black Lotus Series, pondering over that fabulous cliff-hanger in Bang, wondering who if anyone, had survived the whole twisted situation Nina had helped to create. And I have to say Echo more than surpassed any expectations I had, it is even more twisted and gut wrenching than Bang, it is a truly heart breaking read that e.k. Blair has created.

Echo is a story of Elizabeth rediscovering herself and facing up to the consequences of her actions in the guise of Nina and the many issues her childhood has left her scarred with, so I am going to address her as such. It was just heartbreaking from the very beginning to go on this journey with her, I was honestly sobbing at times and unable to read for tears. Elizabeth is left completely broken by the shootings and no longer wants the reward of her conquest over Bennett so more in the style of Elizabeth instead of facing up to and dealing with the situation she decides to get out of Chicago and start again.

She goes to a place she believes she will find some solace, however she is then completely alone, even Carnegie seem to have abandoned her, and so she begins to spiral downwards fast and it really was painful to see her going through such pain. Poor Elizabeth, the things she does to herself, her mind tricking her, it all leaves you fearing that she won’t make it through her grief.

However soon those twists start coming and the past comes back to haunt Elizabeth in more ways than one and she begins to face up to the issues of her childhood as hidden truths come out, but each one seems to knock her further back. A past acquaintance arrives putting Elizabeth in danger but who is there to fight for and save her this time? It is difficult to write this review without ruining the cleverly crafted story the author has created because it truly is an amazing web of lies and deceit that Elizabeth finds herself in the middle of where lives have been more interwoven than she could have ever imagined.

I want to say so much more about other characters but don’t want to give anything away so I am just going to say this is one of the best reads I have read this year and cannot wait for the next book Hush because yes e.k. Blair brings us another brilliant cliff-hanger leaving me asking WHO?

Blurb

It's been said the longest echo ever measured lasted 75 seconds, but I can assure you, this will last much longer. The bang deafened the world around me, muting everything into nullity, allowing the reflection of its destruction to live far beyond its intended life.

It will follow me forever, destroying me—destroying you.

You want answers?

So do I.

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